Section 375: Marzi Ya Jabardasti director sends second notice to producer prohibiting him to use script

Section 375: Marzi Ya Jabardasti, starring Akshaye Khanna and Richa Chadha, which had gone into an ugly legal battle between the director and the producer has had a new development. According to new reports in DNA, Manish Gupta, the writer and director of the project has sent a second legal notice to Kumar Mangat terminating the Writer's Agreement. Manish has also sent a cheque of Rs 3,38,000 which was paid to him during their initial collaboration.

The notice states that Manish would qualify as the sole, original and exclusive owner of the script and that Mangat and his company are ‘in no manner allowed to deal with or utilise the said script in any manner whatsoever’.

Kumar Mangat (left) and Manish Gupta (right). Images from Facebook

It further adds, that if, despite this notice Mangat decides to go ahead with working on the script, Manish would have to carry out legal proceedings seeking injunctive relief against the producer.

On being contacted by DNA, Mangat stated, "I submitted all the relevant documents to IFTDA (Indian Film and Television Directors Association), where he had filed the complaint against me. The association went through all the documents and gave a decision in my favour. They decided that I own the copyright of the script and can make the film as I deem right and best. We have a copy of IFTDA’s decision, too."

According to the same report, sources close to Manish said, "After the IFTDA ruling, Manish terminated the Writer’s Agreement and informed the association that he was going ahead with his dispute legally and filing a lawsuit against Kumar Mangat and Abhishek Pathak of Panorama Studios Pvt Ltd. Manish has registered every draft of the script with the copyright association in Delhi. Consequently, he has complete ownership of the script."

As reported earlier, after Manish expressed his desire to move on with his script of the film, he "discovered that various other directors in the industry have received his script for Section 375: Marzi Ya Jabardasti with his name removed from the writer credit. Hence on 15 July, Manish Gupta issued a legal notice to Kumar Mangat, petitioning the Bombay High Court to uphold his rights, as reported by DNA."